The European Union (EU) has warned that Nigeria’s 2027 normal elections might be undermined by means of synthetic intelligence-driven misinformation, fabricated bulletins and manipulated election outcomes, even with no single poll being bodily altered.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, gave the warning in Abuja on Monday on the opening of the National Summit on Electoral Information Integrity, stressing the necessity to shield the nation’s electoral course of from rising digital threats.
Mignot reaffirmed the EU’s dedication to supporting initiatives aimed toward strengthening data integrity, media resilience and accountable digital engagement as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections.
The summit, organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), with EU assist underneath the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme and DAI, introduced collectively electoral officers, media practitioners, civil society organisations and different stakeholders to develop methods for countering digital manipulation.
The EU’s intervention comes amid rising issues that synthetic intelligence might be exploited to generate convincing pretend movies, clone voices, fabricate statements by public officers and flow into false election bulletins able to deceptive voters and eroding confidence in democratic establishments.
Opening the summit, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash O. Amupitan, SAN, mentioned electoral threats had moved past bodily interference at polling items to stylish digital operations able to influencing public opinion earlier than voting begins.
“INEC cannot police the truth alone,” Amupitan mentioned, calling for a united entrance involving authorities establishments, safety businesses, media organisations, expertise corporations and civil society.
He mentioned public consciousness alone was inadequate to deal with the problem, urging stakeholders to ascertain coordinated response mechanisms, institutionalised fact-checking channels and clear procedures for escalating suspected circumstances of data manipulation.
The INEC chairman disclosed that the fee was strengthening its technological and communication capability to detect manipulated content material, confirm suspicious data and subject well timed clarifications throughout conventional and digital platforms.
He, nonetheless, cautioned that efforts to fight misinformation should not be used to suppress press freedom, freedom of expression or reliable political dissent.
Former INEC chairman and chairman of the event, Prof. Attahiru Jega, mentioned synthetic intelligence provided vital alternatives to enhance governance and electoral administration however warned that its deployment within the electoral atmosphere required cautious consideration to potential dangers.
Also talking, the Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, mentioned the wrestle for voters’ belief was already unfolding on digital platforms lengthy earlier than residents arrived at polling stations.
Representing the Minister of Information, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council, Dr. Dili Ezughah, mentioned electoral integrity depended not solely on voting, counting and the announcement of outcomes but additionally on the standard of data obtainable to residents earlier than, throughout and after elections.
He famous that Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, printed in 2024, supplied a framework for accountable, inclusive and accountable deployment of the expertise.
Papers introduced on the summit examined preparedness towards AI-driven electoral threats, international data manipulation and interference, hate speech, coordinated disinformation and the publicity of various teams of voters to on-line manipulation.
A panel session additionally explored how voters, public figures and digital algorithms form the electoral data atmosphere.
The summit is predicted to supply sensible commitments and methods to guard Nigeria’s electoral data atmosphere forward of the 2027 normal elections.
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